Folding vehicle-top



(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

A. HABERLING. FOLDING VEHICLE TOP No. 535,002. Patented M21125; 1895.

D 3 kW (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. HABERLING. FOLDING VEHICLE TOP.

No. 535,002. Patented Mar. 5, 18945.

$54 kls YNE' Nanms pz'rzns co. PHOTOLITHOH WASHINGTON, u. c,

UNTTED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ALBERT HABERLING, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING VEHICLE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,002, dated March 5,1895.

Application filed September 19, 1894- Serial No. 523,449. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT HABERLING, a resident of St. Louis, State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buggy andFolding Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accom panyin g drawings, forminga part hereof.

This invention relates to improvements in buggy and other foldingvehicle tops, and has for its object to provide a snug housing for theside curtains when furled, and to enable the rear curtain to be readilyfixed to its side stays.

The invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming partof this specification, whereon- Figure 1, is a side elevation of abuggytop and framework embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a cross sectionthrough one of the side sockets and corresponding part of the buggy top,broken away, showing the housing for the side curtain. Fig. 3, is ahorizontal section through two adjacent buggy bows and the curtainhousing,taken on line 3. 3, in Fig. 2, immediately above the sockets.Fig. 4, is an inverted horizontal section through the sockets taken online 4, 4 in Fig. 2, and showing the under side of the curtain housing,broken away. Fig. 5, is a front view of a brace seen edgewise in Fig. 2.Fig. 6, is a detail view to an enlarged scale of a supporting strap seenedgewise in Fig. 2. Fig. 7, is a horizontal section taken on line 7. 7.in Fig. 1, showing the rear curtain attached to its side stays. Fig.8,is a similar View to Fig. 7, broken away, to an enlarged scale. Fig. 9,is a perspective View to an enlarged scale of the fasteners seen inFigs. 8 and 10. Fig. 10 is an outside view of the rear curtain whenlowered over its opening and Figs. 11 and 12 are outside and insideviews, respectively of the rear curtain when furled or rolled up andsecured.

Like letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, a represents a buggy topcarried by the bows b and sockets c. To the outer face of each buggy bowb is fixed a projecting strip, or cleat, d, which extends from a pointat a short distance above the top'of the socket c, upward, and along thebuggy bow b, preferably diminishing in depth or ofiset, to nothing atits upper end, where it conforms in shape to the crown of the buggy bowb. In the outer face of the buggy bow 1), starting from the offset end6, of the strip cl, is formed a preferably concave recess f, whichextends downward to a suitable distance below the top of the socket c,the facial metal of the latter being set back thereat conformably to theshape of the recess f, and thereby tightly holding the buggy bow b inplace.

From the upper edge of the concave recess f, a corresponding overhangingconcavity is preferably imparted to the offset end 2, of the strip d.The leather covering g, which is fixed to the buggy bows b, and over theprojecting strips d, is extended downward beyond the overhanging ends e,of the strips 01, to a suitable distance below the recessesf, which arethereby concealed from view.

To the inner side of the covering opposite to the recesses f, isfastened by any suitable well known means, the upper edge of the sidecurtain h, which, on being furled or rolled up on itself, as shown,passes upward between the sockets c and the dependent portion of thecovering g, until it enters and is supported against the recesses f,whereby the curtain h is snugly housed and rendered invisible.

For securing the curtain h in its furled position, straps I: (seeparticularly Fig. 6) fixed at one end to the inside of the liningj arepassed under the rolled curtain h, and hitched in any suitable manner tothe covering g of the Vehicle.

it; represents a brace of iron or other suitable material, which isfixed along the inside of the buggy bow b, opposite and adjacent to therecess f, for strengthening the bow b thereat. The brace k is preferablysecured to the buggy bow b by a bolt 1, which passes through the bow b,projecting strip d, and covering g, against which it is tightened by thenut m. The brace k is also secured to the bow b by a screw n, or in anyother suitable manner, and is formed with a longitudinal slot 0, wherebythe lining j may be tacked to the buggy how I) thereat in the usualmanner.

I preferably attach the rear curtain p to its side stays q, as shown inFigs. 1, 7, and 8, by fasteners r, 3. Each fastener a", .9, consists, asshown particularly in Fig. 9, of a base or shank 1", which is preferablymade of thin flat steel bent double, or provided opposite to one side ofthe shank r, with a spring clip 8, which normally tends to close at itsfree end against the shank 9". By means of triangular, rectangular, orother shaped cuttings through the shank 1", corresponding tongues orfangs tare formed therein, which, on being bent outward at right anglesto the shank r, are passed through holes formed therefor in the rearcurtain p near its side edge, the projecting portions of the fangstbeing bent backward and clinched against the outside of the curtain p,as shown particularly in Fig. 8.

In attaching the curtain p to the side stays q, for closing the rearopening in the buggy top, the fasteners r, s, are passed over the edgesand on to the adjacent portions of the stays q, so that the latter areclamped and held thereat between the shanks r and spring clips 5,whereby the curtain p is quickly and securely held in position, withoutthe aid of buttons or hooks, and can be as easily removed by Withdrawingthe fasteners r, s from the side stays q.

The curtain 19 (see Figs. 10, 11, and 12) when detached from the sidestays q for uncovering the rear opening, is furled or rolled up onitself and secured in this position along the upper edge of the opening,by straps M which depend from the inside of the top and are provided attheir free ends with hooks 1) which engage in corresponding loops 20attached to the outside of the curtain p, in such a manner that theconnections of the straps to with the loops to are made on the inside ofthe furled curtain n so as to be invisible from the outside.

A great advantage of this invention is that by the inclosure andconcealment of the side curtains h, when furled, they are completelyprotected from dirt and injury, and their unsightly appearance avoided.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a buggy or folding vehicle top, comprising buggy bows, having itslower end placed within sockets, said bows provided with a cut outportion or recess, said socket bent in and fitting snug against saidbow, a cleat or strip secured to the rounded portion of said how, andextending downward, having its lower endcnt out, and in communicationwith the cut out portion in said bow, thus forming a recess for acurtain when rolled, hooks for holding said curtain, substantially asshown and described.

2. In a buggy or folding vehicle top, comprising a buggy bow having itslower ends covered with a socket, a cut out portion in said bow saidsocket bent inwardly against the surface of said out out portion, abrace secured to said bow, and terminating in said socket, for thepurpose of strengthening said how, a cleat located on the outer side ofsaid bow, and in communication with said out out portion, and hooks forholding a curtain therein substantially as shown and described.

3. In a buggy or folding vehicle top, the combination of a buggy bow, asocket placed over the lower portion of said bow, a recess or cut outportion, provided in said bow, said socket bent in, fitting snuglyagainst the surface of said recess, a cleat placed on the outer roundedportion of said bow, a brace secured to said how, the lower portion ofsaid brace having prongs, said prongs terminating within said socket,for the purpose of strengthening said bow, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT HABERLING.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. EIoKs, GEORGE S. TOURVILLE.

